Traditionally, brooms have been used to clean loose debris from flooring. Typically, this practice involves using the broom to sweep the dirt into a concentrated pile and then directing the pile into a dustpan. Although the transfer of dirt to the dustpan can be accomplished by a single individual, it requires the individual to either bend over or squat down to properly position the dustpan. This can prove to be difficult for people with arthritis, back pain, or other ailments, and may prove impossible for the elderly, disabled, or otherwise physically challenged individuals.
Once the dirt is transferred to the dustpan, the dustpan must be carried to a waste receptacle. While in transit, it is easy for dirt to be spilled from the dustpan. In addition, the simple act of carrying the dustpan may result in dirt loss due to the air flow over the dustpan.
Further, dustpans often leave a thin and elusive line of dust and other small particles that can only be removed by hand, sponge, damp cloth or vacuum cleaner. Often a full-sized or hand-held vacuum cleaner may be used. As with the dustpan, this approach requires additional time and physical effort to locate, position, power and use the equipment to apprehend the debris. In most cases, a standard-sized vacuum cleaner is excessive for most light refuse collection and is therefore not optimal from an energy consumption perspective.
There have been attempts at combining a broom and a vacuum; such combinations involve an approach wherein the vacuum portion is housed within or otherwise integrated into the mechanism that sweeps the debris. These designs require that the vacuum cleaner possesses sufficient power to not only remove the debris itself, but must do so at some distance from the debris and must provide suction through the bristles of the sweeping element. This results in devices that are overly complicated and heavy for the average user, and impractical for the elderly or disabled. Consequently, there is a need for a device that combines the simplicity of a broom with the efficiency of a vacuum in a single device that is functional and easily manipulated by a variety of users.